Deer hunting with an outfitter in Illinois, I had this deer walk towards my stand. I wasn’t going to shoot the deer, not because I’m a big trophy hunter, but the outfitter had a minimum size restriction they wanted to maintain for their management. I didn’t feel this deer would meet that and I wasn’t interested in paying a fee for shooting a smaller deer. I grabbed my camera to film the deer and it wasn’t until he was next to me that I noticed the wound!
As I analyzed the situation and tried to figure out what was going on, the deer continued to walk and I didn’t feel there was time to grab my bow and shoot the deer. In the heat of the moment, not knowing how injured the deer was, how he was injured, and as quickly as things happen in the field, I didn’t attempt to finish him off. With the benefit of hindsight, and knowing what I know now, I likely would have shot the deer.
